Analog Four Editor

Kosmology has shared a Kontakt based editor for the Elektron Analog Four! This may be a cool find for any Kontakt users out there. You can use this standalone or inside any host pretty much. Check out the details below:

An instrument editor to make sound design easier for anyone who wants to use it. It’s built using Kontakt Scripting and so requires a full version of Kontakt 5, but at least it’s cross platform.

There is no manual yet so I’ll do a quick guide here:

The main goal was to get all parameters on a single page and provide some randomization options. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be NRPNs for some stuff such as everything on the Velocity/Aftertouch/Mod Wheel destinations menu and so this will still have to be done on the machine, but everything on the 6 main edit buttons is covered though.

I’ve also built 2 way NRPN communication into it as well so when input and output are connected to the A4 the GUI knobs update the A4 and the Knobs on the A4 will also update the Kontakt GUI. VST Automation is fully supported for all knobs which is another very useful feature, and because the A4 knobs are recognised you can record the automation using them 🙂

The editor works by taking over the track you point it at and so when it loads up it will set the A4 to whatever the GUI knobs are set to, this way it can be used in DAW projects to automatically set the parameters when loaded. Because of this be aware it will automatically change whatever Kit it is pointed at so save the Kit first if you care about it!

There is an internal Preset system which allows saving presets, I’ve included a few to give some examples. Clicking on the Browser button will show a file browser displaying the Preset folders (which are located in the Data Folder). Save will allow saving the current state to a preset which can be located in an existing sub folder or you can create your own folders etc…

The layout mimics the Machine screens for the most part so it will feel natural for anyone used to using the A4. Each section has a Randomize button, a set section to default button and an ‘X’ button which decides whether this section should be included in the Global Randomize. The Global Randomize Randomizers all of the selected sections. The Default buttons set the machine to a useful start point (although you can always make a template/templates to load instead of the Global Default).

Randomize has 2 settings which is adjusted via the Rand Mode Knob. Setting the Knob to Full On allows total randomization which will just randomize the values. Anything below this is a scaled randomize function which will change the existing values by a scaled random amount. The scaled randomize doesn’t work with all parameters however, setting such as Waveform, Sub, Destinations are still randomized in the normal way. Some parameters are ignored such as Tune/Fine/Detune on Oscillator 1 based on the idea that you would mostly want 1 Oscillator in pitch. I’ve tried to make it so that random patches will be musical for the most part.

If you are wanting musical presets I suggest using the Global default button and then Global randomize, this will then drift from a good starting point if using the scaled randomize.

To use you need to point the Kontakt output to the Analog 4 either by the USB Midi in or the Hardware Midi In. Optionally you can direct the A4 midi Out to Kontakt’s Midi In if you want the Knobs to control the GUI. In Kontakt set the Midi channel of the A4 track you are targeting, ie Channels 1-4 by default. Load a Preset and it will update the A4 Instrument.

You can use multiple Editors by assigning each one to channels 1-4 respectively. Note that Kontakt will filter the Midi Input coming from the A4 knobs and direct it to the correct editor, in other words the channel you set for the Kontakt instrument locks it to that midi Channel for both input and output which works out well for this purpose. Because of that however, if you want to use the A4 Midi knobs to automate Kontakt, you need to be sure you have pressed the correct Trk Button on the A4 first!

The saved Presets are just snapshots that update the settings of the script.

The delay setting is in Micro Seconds and is the delay between each sent NRPN, I’ve found 100 works great for me, but you may need to increase it if you get some lost messages.

The Knobs have fine control by using the SHIFT Key whilst click dragging, also CTRL + Click will set the Knob to default. The Knobs actually have the same resolution as what the A4 sends, but to achieve fine values you must use the SHIFT method to overcome the resolution of the GUI Graphic itself.

On the A4 you MUST make sure that it is set to send and receive NRPNs otherwise it will not work.

phew, I think that will do for now! I’ll set up a proper page for it soon but in the meantime download from here: